Civilization is enhanced in the world by the use of vegetation, including cutting down trees and clearing forests as a source of wood, fiber, energy, food, medicine, shelter, agricultural land and other uses. It is certain that human life will be extinct from this planet with the disappearance of trees. The exponential growth of population has surpassed six billion by the beginning of the new millennium, which was barely 500 million in 1800 AD. The increasing needs for forest resources, agricultural land, industries, settlements, roads, irrigation canals and many other uses have shrink global forest. Unfortunately, per capita forest in the developing countries has decreased significantly in the past few decades. To reverse this trend many multilateral and bi-lateral programs in forestry are implemented in the developing nations for more than three decades of which community forestry (social forestry) is one of the major forestry program. In Nepal, community forestry was officially initiated since 1978 with technical assistance of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of United Nations and financial loan from World Bank. Later on, Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, and Canada assisted Nepal in forestry program with special consideration to community forestry. Tree resources comprise more than 75 percent of rural energy and more than 50 percent of shelter construction materials. More than 95 percent of forests are owned by the state in Nepal. In presence of two billionaire neighbors, India and China, how far Nepal has been able to strengthen community forestry after experience for more than two decades is still a big question? Political determination, sound public relations and scientific management of forest are the key factors for long term management of forest in the developing countries.
Key words: Community forestry, user’s group, management plans, and District Forest Office.
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